Quran and Science

This quiz, Quran and Science, includes various Scientific aspects mentioned in the Quran

Allah, in the Holy Quran, summons humanity to investigate and reflect upon the heavens, the earth, mountains, stars, plants, seeds, animals, the alternation of the night and the day, the creation of man, the rain and many other created things. Examining these, man comes to recognize the artistry of Allah's creation in the world around him, and ultimately, to know the Creator, Who created the entire universe and everything in it from nothing.

The Quran is not a book of Science but a book of ‘Signs’, i.e. Aayaats (Verses). There are more than six thousand ‘Signs’ in the Qur’an of which more than a thousand deal with hard core Science.

1.

How many Aayaats (verses) of the Holy Quran deal with hard core science?

More than 100 Aayaats (verses)

More than 500 Aayaats (verses)

More than 1,000 Aayaats (verses)

There are no Aayaats (verses) in the Quran which deal with science

“The Quran is not a book of Science but a book of ‘Signs’, i.e. Aayaats (verses). There are more than six thousand ‘Signs’ in the Qur’an of which more than a thousand deal with hard core Science”

2.

What does the Quran state about the motion of the sun?

The Quran says the sun is stationary

The Quran says only the moon rotates in its own axis and not the sun

The Quran says that the sun, moon and all celestial bodies rotate in their own axis

There are no verses in the Quran talking about the sun

Previously, scientists and physicists thought that the sun was stationary and did not rotate about its axis like the Earth. However Quran confirmed the truth 1,400 years earlier that the sun also rotates in its own axis, which was discovered only recently.

It is mentioned in the Quran, “It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: All (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.” (Quran 21:33)

The sun travels through space at roughly 240 km per second, and takes about 200 million years to complete one revolution around the centre of our Milky Way Galaxy. It is mentioned in the Quran “It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor can the Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).” (Quran 36:40)

The existence of the individual orbits of the sun and moon, and their journey through space with their own motion, has only recently been discovered by modern science

3.

Does the Quran mention anything about the creation of the universe?

Yes, the Quran talks about the creation of the universe, which in science is termed as the Big Bang Theory

Yes, the Quran says the Universe was created as an accident

The Quran mentions that the universe has been existing from time unknown

No, there are no mentions in the Quran about the creation of the universe

“The creation of the universe is explained by astrophysicists as a widely accepted phenomenon, popularly known as ‘The Big Bang’. According to ‘The Big Bang’, the whole universe was initially one big mass (Primary Nebula). Then there was a ‘Big Bang’ (Secondary Separation) which resulted in the formation of Galaxies. These then divided to form stars, planets, the sun, the moon, etc. The origin of the universe was unique and the probability of it happening by ‘chance’ is nil.

The Quran contains the following verse regarding the origin of the universe: “Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder?” (Quran 21:30)

“He created the heavens and the earth from nothing” (Quran 6:101), this verse proves the scientific fact which was discovered that the universe came into being through the explosion of a single point-mass that had zero volume"

4.

What determines the sex of the foetus, according to the Quran?

Quran says it is the cells of the mother which determine the sex of the foetus

Quran says that the sex of the foetus is determined by the sperm

There is no differentiation of the sexes according to the Quran

Quran does not talk about the determination of sex of the foetus

In the Quran, it is said that masculinity or femininity are created out of "a drop of semen which has been ejected". However, until fairly recently, it was believed that a baby's sex was determined by the mother's cells. Science only discovered this information given in the Qur'an in the 20th century.

He has created both sexes, male and female from a drop of semen which has been ejected. (Quran 53: 45-46)

5.

What does the Quran specify about the barriers in water where freshwater and saltwater meet?

Quran says seawater and freshwater mix and form a new homogenised water body

Quran does not talk about the barriers between water bodies

Quran says there are no water bodies

Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and saltwater, it mentions the existence of “a forbidding partition” with the barrier

Quran says “He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together: Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress.” (Quran 55:19-20)

In the Arabic text the word barzakh means a barrier or a partition. This barrier, however, is not a physical partition. The Arabic word maraja literally means ‘they both meet and mix with each other’. Modern science has discovered that in the places where two different seas meet, there is a barrier between them. This barrier divides the two seas so that each sea has its own temperature, salinity and density. Oceanologists are now in a better position to explain this verse. There is a slanted unseen water barrier between the two seas through which water from one sea passes to the other. But when the water from one sea enters the other sea, it loses its distinctive characteristic and becomes homogenized with the other water. In a way this barrier serves as a transitional homogenizing area for the two waters.

This phenomenon is also mentioned in the following verse of the Quran: “And made a separating bar between the two bodies of flowing water.” (Qur’an 27:61)

This phenomenon occurs in several places, including the divider between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean at Gibraltar. A white bar can also be clearly seen at Cape Point, Cape Peninsula, South Africa where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. But when the Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of “a forbidding partition” with the barrier.

Quran says “It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: one palatable and sweet, and the other salty and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, and a partition that is forbidden to be passed. (Quran 25:53)

6.

Does the Quran talk about the Water Cycle?

Yes, the Quran explains in detail about the complete Water Cycle

The Quran talks only about rainfall

The Quran talks about the evaporation process alone

Quran does not talk about the Water Cycle

The Water Cycle, which was first described by Bernard Palissy in 1580, is described in detail in the Holy Quran which was revealed more than 1,400 years ago and this is proof enough that this book indeed is the Book of God.

It is mentioned in the Quran “And We send down water from the sky according to (due) measure, and We cause it to soak in the soil; and We certainly are able to drain it off (with ease).” (Quran 23:18)

“By the Firmament which returns (in its round),” (Quran 86:11)

“And We send the fecundating winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water (in abundance).” (Quran 15:22)

The water cycle is described in several other verses of the glorious Quran, including 7:57, 13:17, 25:48- 49, 35:9, 36:34, 45:5, 50:9-11, 56:68-70 and 67:30

7.

Does the Quran mention the stages of embryonic development of a foetus?

Quran just talks about the early stages

Quran just mentions about the birth of children and not about the embryonic development

Quran does not talk about the foetus

Yes, Quran precisely describes the different stages of the embryonic development of the foetus

It is mentioned in the Quran “Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed; then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature, so blessed be Allah, the Best to create!” (Quran 23:12-14)

In the verse mentioned above Allah states that man is created from a small quantity of liquid which is placed in a place of rest, firmly fixed (well established or lodged) for which the Arabic word qaraarin makeen is used. This small quantity of fluid is made into alaqah, meaning something which clings. It also means a leech-like substance. Both descriptions are scientifically acceptable as in the very early stages the foetus clings to the wall and also appears to resemble a leech in shape. The third meaning of the word alaqah is a blood clot. During this alaqah stage, which spans the third and fourth weeks of pregnancy, the blood clots within closed vessels. Hence the embryo acquires the appearance of a blood clot.

The alaqah is transformed into mudghah which means ‘something that is chewed (having teeth marks)’ and also something that is tacky and small which can be put in the mouth like gum. Both these explanations are scientifically correct. The teeth marks resemble the ‘somites’ which is the early formation of the spinal column. This mudghah is transformed into bones (izâm). The bones are clothed with intact flesh or muscles (lahm)

8.

What does the Quran say about the protection of a foetus in the mother’s womb?

Foetus is protected by itself

Foetus is not protected by anything

Quran says that the foetus is protected by three veils / layers

There are no verses talking about the protection of a foetus

Quran mentions that the foetus is protected by three veils of darkness, Quran says “He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness.” (Quran 39:6).

The three veils of darkness mentioned in the Quran refer to: (i) anterior abdominal wall of the mother (ii) the uterine wall (iii) the amnio-chorionic membrane. Modern biology has revealed that the embryological development of the baby takes place in the manner revealed in the verse, in three dark regions. Moreover, advances in the science of embryology show that these regions consist of three layers each

9.

What does the Quran say about the shape of the Earth?

The Quran says the Earth is flat

The Quran says that the Earth is not exactly round like a ball, but geo-spherical

The Quran says the Earth is round like a ball

There are no verses in the Quran which talk about the shape of the Earth

The earth is not exactly round like a ball, but geo-spherical, i.e. it is flattened at the poles. The following verse contains a description of the earth’s shape; Quran says “And the earth, moreover, hath He made egg shaped.” (Quran 79:30)

The Arabic word for egg here is dahaahaa which means an ostrich-egg. The shape of an ostrich-egg resembles the geo-spherical shape of the earth. Thus the Qur’an correctly describes the shape of the earth, though the prevalent notion when the Quran was revealed was that the earth was flat

10.

What does the Quran state about the mountains and their reason for existence?

Mountains do not exists according to the Quran

The Quran states that mountains are just high rises

The Quran states that mountains have been created for beautification alone

The Quran states that mountains act like stakes or tent pegs that hold the earth’s crust and give it stability

Geologists tell us that the radius of the Earth is about 6,035 km and the crust on which we live is very thin, ranging between 2 to 35 km. Since the crust is thin, it has a high possibility of shaking. Mountains act like stakes or tent pegs that hold the earth’s crust and give it stability. The Qur’an contains exactly such a description: “Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, and the mountains as pegs?” (Al-Qur’an 78:6-7)

“And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them.” (Al-Qur’an 21:31)